[geeks] My take

[Dan Debertin]

Mike Dombrowski writes:
[ ... jingoistic, belligerent ranting ... ]

 > Secondly, put the planes on computerized flight control. Override
 > would be from the control towers only or by a code inputed by the
 > pilot. Pressing a hijack button would disallow the pilot to disable
 > the computer.

I think this is a really bad idea. Pilots need a way to react to
things that come up -- this means making sudden course adjustments to
avoid nasty weather, other planes, etc. I'd like to know that the
pilot is in control, not the computer. Most pilots that I've spoken
with prefer Boeing planes over Airbus for this exact reason -- Boeing
planes, while they have autopilot, supposedly make it much easier for
the pilot to take control of the plane should a sudden correction be
necessary. (IANAP, though)

It would, however, be interesting to explore a way (biometrics,
maybe?) of ensuring that the pilot(s) are the *only* people who can
pilot the plane.

What an awful day.

Dan

-- 
Dan Debertin
airboss at nodewarrior.org
www.nodewarrior.org